A Night's Tale
by space77
Summary: Filler scene for 03x12, Baby in the Bough. Just what would Brennan & Booth’s first night with the baby have been like?
1. Little Big Man

**Rating:** K, this chapter at least!

**Summary:** Filler scene for 03x12, Baby in the Bough. Just what would B&B's first night with the baby have been like?

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**A/N: **This story has hit me and won't let up! What were the writer's thinking? Did she stick him in a bone locker all night?! Many thanks to **TemperTemper** for the fantabulous beta and support, and for the extra patience with me when I'm really 'supposed' to be working on something else!

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Temperance Brennan sat in the darkened SUV under the bright glare of the towering parking lot lights. Her left leg bounced incessantly, betraying the seemingly calm look upon her face. Inside her head, myriad thoughts screamed along her neural pathways. The cell phone in her right hand tumbled end-over-end-over-end as she mindlessly flipped it with her slender fingers.

She jumped as the back seat door was suddenly opened and the overhead dome light threw the interior into bright contrast.

"Scare ya, Bones?" Seeley Booth chuckled over her shoulder as he gently placed the plastic Wal-Mart bags in the seat and floor board.

Ignoring his verbal jab, she retorted, "Just how much did you buy, Booth? I thought we just needed diapers and formula?"

Booth looked across the back seat to the slumbering baby in the car seat. He couldn't hold back the smile that crossed his lips. "Little Big Man needs lotsa stuff, Bones – diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, binkies… and baby powder."

He closed the back door and rounded the SUV, climbing into the driver's seat. "We don't know how long we'll have him. Gotta be prepared."

"Well, that's why I sent you in for the supplies. You're the one with a child," she replied logically. "And why do you keep calling him that?"

"What? Little Big Man?"

"Yes. It's contradictory. Nothing can be little and big at the same time. And he's not yet a man."

Booth shrugged, "It's what I used to call Parker when he was a baby."

"It still doesn't make sense."

"It would if you knew the story behind it," Booth smirked as he backed the SUV out of the parking space and began to drive.

Brennan just looked at him and waited for him to continue.

"I don't know if I feel like sharing, Bones," he said seriously, but she caught the glint in his eye.

"Fine then, but you have to stop calling him that."

"Bo-ones," he fake-whined.

"I'm serious. Maybe if I knew the story behind it, it would be less annoying…" she trailed off, looking out her window.

Booth sighed. "Fine."

He propped his elbow on the window ledge and rubbed his temple. Then, barely audible, "Rebecca used to call me Big Man."

Brennan's head snapped back to him and she couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up out of her… or her eyes from wandering toward his lap, wondering.

"Not all the time or anything," he continued, not noticing her flitting gaze in the dim light. "But often enough that she thought it was cute, I guess, to call Parker her Little Big Man. She started it, not me."

Brennan chuckled, "Well maybe it makes more sense now, but it's not any less contradictory… Big Man."

"No! You do not get to call me that. I knew I shouldn't have told you." But he liked seeing this playful side of her, regardless.

They rode on in silence a bit as Booth navigated the necessary turns to take them on the highway towards Brennan's apartment. As they neared the exit for Capitol Hill, he asked, "So, did you iron things out with Child Protective Services and the Foster Care people?"

"Yes, I explained to them how Little Big Man," (chuckle) "swallowed evidence and we needed to keep him with us for a day or two until we could get it back. The lady didn't express a great level of confidence in my abilities after that, but I reassured her."

"Oh yeah, and how did you do that?"

"I told her that my FBI agent partner is an experienced father."

Booth couldn't contain the grin that spread across his face at his independent, self-reliant Bones admitting she needed his help. "I'm impressed Bones. You actually admitting you need my help for something?"

"I don't need your help Booth. I just knew it was what the woman needed to hear."

Booth didn't know what to react to first; the fact that his "never going to have children" partner suddenly thought she could take care of an infant on her own; the fact that she lied to CPS; or the fact that she didn't want his help with Little Big Man.

He decided on the first two. "Oh, so Miss Never-Gonna-Have-Kids suddenly wants one? And knows all there is to know?"

"Just because I don't want children of my own doesn't mean I don't like them, Booth. Besides I have a decidedly steep learning curve."

"You don't have time to read a book about taking care of infants, Bones. You're gonna need help. My help. And you lied to CPS? Your first foster child… you're really starting out on the right foot here."

"I didn't lie, Booth. You are an experienced father, are you not?"

Just then, Booth made the final turn into the parking lot of her building. "This is not over, Bones."

Brennan was out of the car as soon as Booth shifted it into park. She opened the back door and began to grab up the very crinkly, very loud, plastic bags of bulky, clunky baby 'necessities.'

Two sleepy blue eyes suddenly popped open and, startled awake by the loud noises and bright overhead light, Little Big Man scrunched up his face and began to wail.

Booth opened the back door and immediately began to try to calm the baby. "Hey now buddy, it's okay. Did mean old Auntie Bones wake you up?" He released the car seat out of its base and carried the baby towards the building.

The whole time, Brennan had stood, plastic bags clutched tightly in her fists, eyes wide at the screaming infant, anything but the picture of confidence she had tried to portray moments earlier.

_Just what have I gotten myself into this time?_

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Little Big Man!" Booth chanted over and over while raising the baby over his head in the air. Giggles resounded through the room as a drop of stringy drool landed on the shoulder of his white dress shirt.

"We can't keep calling him that, Booth," Brennan said as she set her keys and bags on the counter and moved the now empty car seat out of the entryway.

"Why not? I mean, we don't know his real name. Yet… but we will. Yes we will!" The last part said to the baby in a sing-songy voice.

"I know we will, but we need to call him something… else."

"Well, what do you suggest? Bob? Larry? Cedric?"

"I don't think I could give him a real name though. It will just make it weird when we do find out his birth name."

"You don't want a nickname, you don't want a real name." Booth turned to the squirming infant in his arms, "First lesson about women, Little Big Man, there's just no pleasing them!"

Ignoring him, Brennan continued, "We can just call him 'the baby.'"

"No way, Bones. That's too much like 'the victim' when it's coming from your lips. It's your way of staying emotionally detached. And this is a baby; a real live, squirming, drooling human being. There's got to be some emotion there. I mean, look at him: wide awake, smiling at you. Aww, he's reaching for you, Bones. You wanna go see your Auntie Bones, don't ya bud?!"

Brennan hesitated a moment, but reached out and took the child into her arms and settled him into an awkward cradle hold. The baby immediately turned his head towards her breast and nuzzled her, crying out softly.

"Whoa buddy, rounding second base there! I'd say that's a good sign he's hungry, Bones."

"Yes, Booth, I know. Anthropologically, infants of all mammalian species are born seeking their mother's milk and there are several types of significant feeding cues that can be observed…"

"Yeah, I hear ya, Bones. I'm just gonna go make him a bottle." Booth walked to the kitchen, tamping down thoughts of how nice it must be to nuzzle Auntie Bones' breasts.

_Where the hell did that come from?_

Brennan followed him, having situated the baby up on her shoulder, patting his back along the way.

Booth started to empty the plastic bags onto the countertop. "Wow, Bones. You really look like a natural with him."

"This may be my first time caring for an infant, but this is not my first time holding one, Booth. I've had some experience."

Her face seemed to darken as she spoke, giving Booth the sharp inner jab to his gut that there was more to her statement than met the eye. He continued to unload items in contemplative silence. As he sat the can of formula on the counter, it hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Your time in foster care."

Her eyes snapped to meet his, her face portraying the initial shock, and then the acceptance that he just knew her that well.

She sighed and shifted the baby to her other shoulder. "There were two families I stayed with that also had infant children. Mostly, I preferred to keep to myself, but there were a few times when I was asked to help with the younger kids… mainly rocking them to sleep or giving them a bottle." She paused. "It was a long time ago."

"Yeah, but ya don't forget things like that, Bones. _You_ don't forget."

Their eyes locked and lingered for a few moments until Booth cleared his throat, "So I guess that's one thing I won't have to teach you, huh?!"

"Booth?"

"Yeah?" Booth answered as he disassembled a bottle and took it to the sink to wash it.

"Why is everything blue?" Brennan looked at all the items laid on her countertop. Bottles with blue sailboats and tri-toned blue pacifiers. Hell, even the can of formula had a blue label.

"Because… he's a boy," Booth said in his best 'Well, duh!' voice.

"Just because he's a boy doesn't mean you have to inundate him with blue things, Booth. The idea that any one color is more masculine or feminine than another is a pure societal construct, and is only exaggerated by…"

"Here we go, one clean bottle… add some water, a little yummy powder and voila! Meal-on-wheels! Right Little Big Man?"

Booth shook the bottle to mix the formula and came around the counter. "You wanna do the honors, Bones? Feed the little guy?"

"Uh… okay. Sure. I can do it." Brennan seemed to be psyching herself up.

She took the bottle from Booth's outstretched hand and walked over to the couch. She sat near the armrest and positioned the baby once again into a cradle hold, laying his head gently in the crook of her left elbow. When she brought the bottle to the infant's mouth, he immediately latched on and sucked greedily.

She looked into his bright blue eyes and saw them briefly roll back in pleasure. Then those eyes cleared and focused on nothing but her, piercing her with his innate curiosity and trust. It took her breath away for a moment.

"You're doing great, Bones. Here…" Booth said as he slid a throw pillow under her arm, allowing her to relax and be more comfortable. He sat across from her on the edge of the coffee table, propping his elbows on his knees.

"Thanks." Brennan watched him as he watched the baby. She knew she needed him in this, needed his help. "I do need you, you know."

Booth raised his eyes to meet hers, saw the sincerity shining there, and knew she meant it. "No place I'd rather be." He swallowed. "He's our responsibility now, y'know? We're partners in this."

She nodded and looked back down at their 'responsibility/evidence/baby' nursing the bottle contentedly. He really was a gorgeous little guy – fuzzy blonde hair, pudgy baby cheeks, beautiful peachy complexion.

"He's beautiful isn't he, Bones?"

The corners of Brennan's mouth upturned, and she wondered, not for the first time, when they became this in-sync. _How could he know her this well?_

"There have been studies done that show that we are inherently attracted to a specific set of characteristics, including large, symmetrical heads, large eyes, small mouths and small noses."

Booth did his best to stifle a yawn, all the while watching the baby's eyes start to droop.

"In fact, there is an evolutionary theory that states…"

As she continued to speak, her hair fell across her face. Booth couldn't stop his hand from reaching across and trapping the strand in his fingertips, tucking it back behind her ear. She stopped mid-sentence as his fingertips brushed along her cheek.

"Why can't you just agree with me, Bones?" he asked, as he brought his hand back under control and rested his elbow back on his knee.

Gazing at him, still feeling the ghost trail of his touch, Brennan replied, "I just did."

Booth couldn't stop yet another smile and looked down again at the now-sleeping baby. The little guy had stopped drinking, his jaw was slack and a bit of formula was slowly dripping down his cheek. "Look at that, you bored him to sleep, just like you do me!"

Brennan rolled her eyes and removed the bottle from the baby's mouth. "Here, make yourself useful," she said as she shoved the nearly empty container at him.

Booth took it and stood, making his way back to the kitchen.

Brennan watched him go and had a sudden thought.

"Booth, where is he going to sleep?"

_TBC._

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_Hope you enjoyed! If so, let me know!_

_I've already started Chapter 2 so hopefully an update isn't too far away..._

_Thanks for reading!_


	2. All Through The Night

**Rating:** K, continues… for now!

**Summary:** Filler scene for 03x12, Baby in the Bough. Just what would B&B's first night with the baby have been like?

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**A/N:** Extra long chapter for you this time! But oh, to write the fluff when your heart is full of angst! Not easy after this week's ep! Many thanks to my beta-tastic friend and cohort, **TemperTemper**… totally couldn't do this without you boosting my ego every chapter, babe! _Smooches!_

Forgot my shout-out to the **Anti-Boneyard** in Chapter 1 – so sorry! Link in my profile – check it out!

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And it hasn't been that long, but I know I always have to go look at the end of the previous chapter when I'm reading multi-chap fics, so…

**Previously in A Night's Tale:**

_Brennan rolled her eyes and removed the bottle from the baby's mouth. "Here, make yourself useful," she said as she shoved the nearly empty container at him._

_Booth took it and stood, making his way back to the kitchen._

_Brennan watched him go and had a sudden thought._

"_Booth, where is he going to sleep?"_

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**Chapter 2: All Through The Night**

A look of perplexity crossed his face. "Oh… well, that's an interesting question, Bones. I guess he can sleep in his car seat for now. Lord knows, Parker spent many a night in his…" Then off his partner's quizzical look, "Sometimes it helps them to breathe better if they are inclined… especially if they have a cold. Just trust me, okay?"

"I don't call it a long-term solution, but for now, I guess it's what we have," she said, looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms.

"For now, Bones. Just until we can figure out something else." He ran his hand along his chin, thinking. Then his eyes lit up and he smiled, holding out his hand towards his partner, "Or he could sleep with you. I've heard co-sleeping is quite common nowadays."

"I don't think so, Booth." Brennan rose with the sleeping child and walked over to place him gingerly into the car seat. As she positioned the infant, he woke and began to cry softly. "Shhh…" Brennan shushed at him. "No, don't wake up," she said softly, throwing a look over her shoulder at her partner.

"Rock the seat, Bones. Rock it!" Booth rushed to her side and began to swiftly rock the seat back and forth. They both watched as the motion caused the baby's eyes to close again and soon after his breathing became deep and regular.

Brennan stood first and stretched. "What time is it? I really need to call the lab and make sure the body was transported properly and everything is ready for tomorrow. We have to get an early start and…"

Booth glanced at his watch and stood to move next to her, "Bones, it's after eleven, you left Zack in charge… just relax. You are doing your job. You're taking care of this baby."

Brennan seemed to consider his words. Doing her job. She _was_ doing her job right now. Granted, not her usual job, but as a registered foster parent, this was a new aspect of her life. She never thought anything would ever come of it when she filled out the paperwork and took the required evaluations. At least not this soon. It was only a precautionary measure while Russ was in prison, now no longer necessary. Or so she had thought.

With a renewed vigor, a new sense of responsibility, she was ready to pursue her next 'job task.' Namely, a 'real' place for the little guy to sleep. "So any ideas on where he can sleep?" she asked Booth, with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm thinking…" He walked over to her counter area and removed his badge and gun from his waistband and holster, in an attempt to make himself more comfortable. "Hey, um… I don't want to just assume anything here, Bones. But is it okay for me to stay here… you know, sleep on the couch, help you out with Little Big Man there." The charm smile was in full effect tonight.

"Well, it is late and we need to be in early tomorrow."

"Great!" Rubbing his hands together, he moved towards the doorway, "I'm just gonna run down to the truck. I've got a t-shirt and jeans in a bag. Be right back."

In the meantime, Brennan was still pondering the 'baby bed' issue. She walked through the different rooms of her apartment looking for inspiration. She entered her bedroom and pulled open a drawer to pull out a t-shirt and sleep pants to get more comfortable. Not her usual bedtime attire, but with others present, definitely more appropriate.

As she closed the drawer, it suddenly came to her. Rectangular in shape, sides high enough to keep a rolling baby from falling out and hurting itself, sturdy. Feeling an immense surge of pride at having figured out a solution herself, she yanked the drawer from her tall wooden chest, set it on the end of her bed and proceeded to empty the contents onto the floor. Yes, it would be perfect!

She moved into the bathroom to change before Booth got back. She was bubbling with excitement to tell him of her solution!

She stripped out of her suit and tossed it in the hamper… lovely story for the dry cleaner now, 'Be sure to pay close attention to the urine stains on the pants legs…' And she tried not to even think about the shoes. At least they were at a crime scene so she wasn't wearing a really expensive pair… trashing them was still hard though. They were really comfortable!

As she dressed, thoughts of her and Booth's recent conversation concerning her book advance and her accountant's tax shelter recommendation flitted through her mind. She wasn't a wasteful person, having money was not the norm for her. She was essentially unaffected by it. It wasn't the reason she did her job or wrote her novels.

But the more she made, the more she thought about it just sitting in her accounts, not doing any good. She needed to find an outlet, she just didn't know what that might be. She often contributed to campaigns for Darfur and other countries victimized by genocide or war. She'd seen firsthand the aftermath of that violence. And she had also made donations to a few political candidates whose agendas she supported.

She shrugged off the thoughts, mentally filing them away for later, and picked up her hair brush. She pulled the band out of her hair, it had pretty much ceased in its duties anyhow. She couldn't stop her mind from picturing her partner's eyes as he had brushed her hair away from her cheek earlier. The swirling brown pools, filled with some emotion, she couldn't (or wouldn't) name. No, those thoughts were definitely for later as well.

She brushed through her hair quickly, the natural curl returning and causing the strands to upturn slightly at her shoulders. She ran a bit of water and quickly scrubbed her face, unconsciously falling into her nighttime routine.

As she grabbed the hand towel to pat her face dry, another inspiration struck. She quickly opened the cabinet and pulled out one of her softest, fluffiest spa-quality towels and returned to her bedroom. She was folding the towel to fit snugly into the drawer/impromptu-baby-bed when she heard Booth come back in the front door and softly call out her name.

"Back here, Booth!" she answered and heard his footsteps approaching up the hallway.

"Is there some place I can change, Bones?" He hesitated at the door to her bedroom. This wasn't territory he felt he should be encroaching. He leaned against the doorframe, letting the duffle bag he held in his hand fall against his leg.

She was standing over the end of her bed, her back to him. She had changed into a pair of thin cotton sleep pants, sitting low on her hips and a comfortably snug t-shirt. Her hair was down and cascaded along her shoulders. He blinked away the visions that were starting to play in his mind. _Not now._

His eyes finally fell upon what she was doing. "Oh hey, Bones, great idea!"

She turned, and with a smile, "Do you think it will work?"

He sat the bag down in the hallway and moved towards her, scratching the side of his face with a doubtful expression, "I dunno…"

"What? You said it was a great idea… it's the right shape, the sides are high and sturdy. I even put a soft towel in the bottom and I can cover it with a pillow-case… Why won't this work?"

"Cause I didn't think of it?!" he said with a smirk. "I'm just kidding, Bones. It's great… you're a genius!"

"I know," she said matter-of-factly. "I will get a pillow-case out of the linen closet. You can change in the bathroom there." She pointed to her recently-vacated bath and moved past him to the closet in the hallway.

Booth watched her as she passed and caught sight of the front of her shirt. "Nice shirt there," and he laughed as he grabbed his duffle and moved towards the bath to change. "May have to get me one."

Brennan looked down at her 'I _heart_ Bones' t-shirt and couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face as well.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

When Booth came back into the living room, now dressed in much more casual and comfortable clothes, he found Brennan sitting on the couch with her laptop, one bare foot propped on the coffee table, the other stretched over and slowly rocking the baby's car seat where it sat on the floor.

He smiled, "Did he wake up?"

She looked over the top of the screen at him, admiring his well-muscled bare arms as he sat his bag down on the floor next to the counter. "No, I just moved him over here to keep an eye on him."

"Make sure he's still breathing?" Booth chuckled at the motherly response.

"Well, he was sitting over in the foyer all by himself." If Bones was even capable of pouting, then this was the closest he'd seen her come to it.

"That's fine, Bones. Nothing wrong with keepin' him close." He slumped onto the couch next to her, extending his long denim-clad legs onto the table and crossing his bare feet. "Whatcha doin'?"

"I thought I might get a little bit of the next chapter written in my novel."

"So what naughty things are Kathy and Andy getting up to in this one? Huh?" he nudged her playfully with his elbow, while leaning closer, trying to sneak-a-peek.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she raised an eyebrow at him and smiled.

Just then her stomach rumbled loudly.

"Well, hello. Hey, we didn't eat tonight, did we?" Booth marveled. "I'm starving." Puppy dog eyes were turned upon her. "You got any food, Bones?"

"Actually, I do. Are you surprised?" She laughed. "I have some leftover macaroni and cheese I made the other night. You want me to heat it up?"

Booth clutched his chest and threw his head backwards onto the couch cushion. "Mac & Cheese! Oh you're killin' me! But death never tasted sweeter! I would love some, Bones."

"You're so dramatic." She set the laptop on the table, careful to save her document and close it before she left for the kitchen.

"Afraid I'm gonna peek?" he asked with a sly grin.

"No, cause you're gonna be helping me. You think I'm just going to serve you?" she laughed as she grabbed his hand and dragged him up with her and towards the kitchen.

This was comfortable. This was nice. It was nice having someone you could be yourself around, not have to pretend to care about. Because you do care. No pretending required.

As she neared the kitchen, Brennan suddenly realized she was still holding Booth's hand. She dropped it and looked back over her shoulder with wide eyes. "Sorry…"

"If you wanted to hold hands, all you had to do was ask." What he intended as a joke seemed to fall flat, as she didn't smile and continued to stare at him. "Bones…?"

She seemed to snap out of her mental trance, gave him a soft smile and turned to open the refrigerator. "Could you turn on the oven please? This is better re-heated radiantly rather than dielectrically."

Booth couldn't help but laugh at her geek-speak. "You mean microwaved?"

"Yes, that's what I said."

He moved to the oven and flipped it on, then turned on the water in the sink and washed his hands.

Brennan removed the dish containing the macaroni and cheese and two beers from the fridge. She sat the dish on the stovetop and passed a beer to Booth, who twisted off the cap and took a long pull.

They stood side-by-side in silence for a moment, waiting for the oven to pre-heat, idly sipping their beers and seemingly lost in thought.

_What's happening here? Is it the baby? Something seems… different. She's warmer, smiling more. I can't help but like it._

_He's really got to stop looking at me like that. And the man knows how to fill out a pair of jeans. Dammit. Maybe the baby will wake up soon. What am I thinking?_

The click of the 'oven ready' light seemed overtly loud, cutting through their thoughts and making them both jump. Brennan moved forward and opened the oven, sliding the dish inside and setting the timer.

"So what should we do now?" she asked as she turned around.

"I guess we relax. I can't believe we are eating at eleven-thirty at night!"

"I know. I can't believe _you_ forgot to eat until now!"

"Oh, so it's _my_ fault!"

"Well, you're the one who is usually reminding me to eat. I thought your stomach was on a timer or something! You're usually so reliable that way," she grinned around the mouth of her beer bottle.

"Oh, is that what you think of me? Mr. Reliable."

"There are worse things to think of a person."

"I guess so. I just thought maybe…" he trailed off, not sure this was a topic they needed, or were ready, to discuss.

"Maybe what?"

He moved over to her dining table, sat his beer on the dark wood surface and pulled out a chair, turning it around and straddling it. He watched her follow and pull out the chair adjacent to his, tuck one foot underneath her and sit down.

Crossing his arms across the chair back, he wasn't sure how to continue. Or even if he should continue. _What did he want? What did she want?_

"Maybe I'm not sure what you think of me," he said, reaching for and bringing his beer to his lips.

Brennan held her beer bottle in her lap and began to peel the label. _How do I possibly answer that?_ After a moment, she looked up at him, a glint in her eye, "Maybe _I'm_ not sure what _you_ think of _me_."

He chuckled. "So we're at an impasse right now?" He shook his head, "Okay… maybe it's not for now." But one look in his eyes told her that it would be soon. _If not now, then soon. Everything happens eventually. And eventually is well on its way to becoming now._

It could have been the beer settling on her empty stomach causing her insides to churn, but that wouldn't explain the alarm bells clanging in her head; all a result of thinking about the ramifications of that 'eventual' discussion.

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

Her eyes widened. It was having to distinguish her thoughts from reality that made the split-second difference in Booth reaching the blaring timer on the oven before her.

"Dammit! How do you turn this damn thing off, Bones?!"

She reached up and quickly pressed the button marked 'Timer ON/OFF' and then proceeded to turn off the two stovetop burners he had ignited in his frantic 'silence-the-noise-before-it-wakes-the-kid' process.

They both turned and looked across the room at the car seat on the floor in front of the couch. Still asleep… for now.

"That was close, Bones. We'd better eat and get to bed. I have a feeling he may not sleep much longer."

Brennan grabbed her oven mitts and opened the door to pull out the mac & cheese. She shrugged, "He seems fine to me Booth. We'll be okay…"

"Oh! Bones, you don't say that! Now he's sure to wake up as soon as we sit down to eat… you just jinxed us!"

She gave him a quizzical look. "That's impossible, Booth. Simply stating one thing does not make the opposite thing more likely to occur."

Brennan pointed to a drawer in an effort to stop Booth's mindless search for silverware. He grabbed two forks and moved towards the fridge. "You just wait… you'll see."

She took the dish to the table and sat it on a hot plate. Booth followed behind with the silverware and two bottles of water. Wordlessly, he handed her one of each.

They sat in the same seats as before and began to eat straight from the dish.

"God, Bones!" Booth sighed his appreciation. "This is just as good, if not better than I remembered. Mmmm…" He moaned as he took another steaming forkful of the cheesy goodness.

Brennan just smiled around her fork and forcefully told herself that it was the food settling on her stomach that seemed to warm her insides at his comments. Nothing else. _Not thinking about a couple of those phrases in a different context. Dammit._

They ate quickly, their conversation trivial, and once they'd cleaned up the kitchen a bit, it was finally time to go to bed. "See Booth, he's still sleeping. I guess your 'jinx' theory was wrong."

"Well, this time, I'm glad it was," he whispered, taking the blanket and pillow she offered him and settling on the couch. "I'll take the first shift Bones. I already made him up a bottle in the fridge."

"It's okay, Booth. I'm not a heavy sleeper. I'll hear him."

"I'm already out here, okay? Just let me."

Brennan sighed, "Okay, but you know where to find me."

"Sure, Bones. Good night." He lay back on the pillow and laced his fingers behind his head.

"Good night, Booth." She yawned into the back of her hand and stretched as she walked up the hallway to her bedroom. Flipping off the lamp, she settled under her covers and almost immediately fell asleep.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

_Wahhhhhh!_

Booth rolled over and pulled his pillow tighter around his ears.

_Wahhh-ahhhh!_

"Alright! I'm up, I'm up!" All the while, he wondered if he'd even been asleep. He looked at his watch as he knelt to pick up the screaming child. One a.m. _Maybe_ he'd slept a half-hour. "I sure haven't missed these days, you know that, buddy?"

He placed the unhappy infant on his shoulder and began to bounce and pat his way towards the kitchen. He turned on the hot water in the sink and let it run while he pulled the prepared bottle from the fridge. Grabbing a large plastic cup from the counter, he filled it with the hot water and sat the bottle in it, allowing it to warm.

"We like our yum-yums warm, don't we bud?"

The baby proceeded to whine and rub his eyes. Booth continued to bounce and pat and without even realizing it, he started to hum to the baby; anything to soothe him. This seemed to calm the little guy rather well so he continued, even singing a few bars.

_Sleep my child and peace at__tend thee,  
All through the night  
Guardian angels God will send thee,  
All through the night  
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping  
Hill and vale in slumber steeping,  
I my loving vigil keeping  
All through the night._

It was as he was finishing the last line, he looked towards the hallway and saw Brennan leaning against the wall, watching him. Their eyes met and they both smiled.

"How long have you been standing there?" he queried, taking in her adorably sleep-tousled appearance.

"Long enough to know you can't sing very well," she teased, trying to cover the fact that hearing his low, husky voice had deeply affected her.

"Well, he seemed to like it. And you're just in time to help change Little Big Man's diaper. He's lo-ong overdue!"

"Great… let me just run to the Lab and get my gum boots."

Booth chuckled. "It's not always bad, Bones. You just had an unfortunate case of beginner's luck."

"I don't believe in luck."

"Maybe that's why you got peed on then," he smirked as he walked back over to the couch. "Can you grab the bag of diapers and wipes and baby powder, please?"

Brennan walked over to the counter where all the baby supplies had been arranged and gathered the requested items.

Booth laid the baby on the couch and started to unsnap his sleeper. The baby giggled as his clothes were removed. "Oh, looks like we may have a little exhibitionist here. You like being nekkie, buddy? Well, it's cute for now, but later… not so much." He leaned down to whisper to his fellow male confidante, "Unless it's a pretty girl. Like your Auntie Bones… and if you tell her I said that, I'll deny it to my grave."

"Here ya go. Diaper. Wipes. Powder." Brennan placed the items on the coffee table next to Booth. "Do we have any potential evidence yet?"

Booth pulled back the little Velcro tabs on the diaper and peeked inside. "Nope. Just wet this time."

He noticed that Brennan was observing his every step, taking her mental notes. "Your turn next time, Bones, so pay attention."

This time, having realized his error from the impromptu change on the back of the fire truck, he kept the wet diaper covering the baby's 'equipment' until he had the new diaper and wipe ready to go. He swiftly pulled out the old, gave a thorough wiping and then slid under the new, being sure to cover the 'plumbing' once again. Then he reached for the powder, poured a bit in his hand, and quickly patted it on the baby boy's bottom.

Cinching up the Velcro on each side, he started re-dressing the baby and said, "That's all there is to it, Bones. You think you can handle it?"

"Of course," she replied, hands on her hips.

"Okay, then. Next time, it's all you. Here you go, take him while I throw this away and get his bottle."

He passed off the baby, threw away the wet diaper and washed his hands. He checked the temp of the bottle on his inner wrist and was satisfied.

"Okay babe, this is my shift… you can go back to bed." He reached for the infant with a wide smile, completely missing the startled look on Brennan's face.

_Did he just call me babe? He must have been talking to the baby. That's gotta be it._

"C'mere little man, look what Uncle Booth has for ya. Nice warm yum-yums for your tum-tums!"

Brennan rolled her eyes at his infantile behavior. "Next turn is mine. I'll be listening for him. And I have the drawer all set up in my room if you want to try to lay him in there once he's asleep."

Booth had the baby boy situated and nursing the bottle, all with a wide grin on his face. "You don't know how I miss this, Bones. I wouldn't trade the age Parker is now for the world; every day I get to spend with him is new and exciting. But it's little things like this that really make you realize how fast they grow up."

Brennan placed her hand on his shoulder briefly as she passed behind the couch towards the hallway. "You're really a great father, Booth." _A great man._

"Thanks, Bones. Good night… again!"

"Good night, Booth."

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

The night passed slowly, made even more so by the fact that the baby awoke nearly every hour on the hour. Booth and Brennan tried to trade shifts throughout the wee morning hours, but soon all the feedings and changings and pattings and rockings and burpings and singings began to meld together and they really didn't know if they were coming or going.

The baby was out of his element, off his routine, being cared for by two strangers, and his temperament reflected that.

So as the early morning rays of dawn began to seep through the windows, was it really any surprise to find the two caregivers fast asleep in Brennan's bed, with a peacefully slumbering, softly snoring infant between them? There's a lot to be said for co-sleeping… mainly the _sleeping_ part!

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**Hope you enjoyed! If so, please let me know!**

**Chapter 3 (which I _think_ will be the final chapter!) will hopefully be up very soon!**

**Thanks for reading! **


	3. The Morning After

**Rating:** K

**Summary:** Filler scene for 03x12, Baby in the Bough. Just what would B&B's first night with the baby have been like?

**Disclaimer:** Any major character you recognize is not mine.

**A/N:** Sorry this took me longer than I expected, had a bit of a block with the ending. Many thanks to **TemperTemper** for being an excellent beta, friend and _un_-blocker! Smooches to all who have read and reviewed… truly an inspiration!

Check out the **Anti-Boneyard**! Link in my profile!

* * *

**Previously in A Night's Tale:**

_The baby was out of his element, off his routine, being cared for by two strangers, and his temperament reflected that._

_So as the early morning rays of dawn began to seep through the windows, was it really any surprise to find the two caregivers fast asleep in Brennan's bed, with a peacefully slumbering, softly snoring infant between them? There's a lot to be said for co-sleeping… mainly the sleeping part!_

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Morning After**

_Baba-gah-dum-ma-ma-ma-ma-pbbbbtttttt!!_

Without opening his eyes, Booth reached over and patted the baby's warm skin. "Shhh… still sleepy time," he mumbled into his pillow.

He buried his head further, sighing deeply and inhaling the sweet, citrusy scent of… _Bones?_ He smiled. _This is a good dream. Very realistic. Must.find.way.back._

The baby stirred under his hand and he rubbed soothing circles and began to hum deeply.

He heard a soft sigh, then, "Mmmm… feels good."

A moment passed in which Booth registered that the baby just spoke to him. He smiled and continued to rub and pat.

Then his eyes popped open and he nearly wrenched his neck lifting his head.

His left arm was stretched over the baby and resting on another, very much adult-size arm. The arm of his very much adult-size partner, in fact. The one he was just having very much adult-size dreams about.

He jerked his hand back as if he had just touched a hot stove. Propping himself on his right forearm, he surveyed his surroundings.

The baby lifted his legs and grabbed his sleeper-covered feet, bringing them to his mouth and 'nom-ing' on them. _Nom-nom-nom._ Giggles.

To the other side of the infant, was the afore-mentioned partner, seemingly still asleep. That was good. Very good.

He took a calming breath and scrubbed his hand over his face. Scruffy. God, it had been a long night.

He looked down at the little boy who seemed so well-rested, ready and eager to meet the day, full of smiles and natural curiosity.

And then his gaze shifted to the woman with whom he had just shared a bed. Granted, there was a baby-barrier between them, but still.

She was laying on her stomach, facing the center of the bed, hair spread in a halo atop her pillow. She looked peaceful - no worry creasing her brow, no tension in the muscles of her jaw, no pursing of her lips. She wasn't knee-deep in human remains, or bent over a table of bleached bones, or discerning a mental puzzle in a race against time, in a search for justice.

She was just Bones. And she was beautiful.

And then he glanced at the bedside clock. Seven-twenty-four. Dammit. She was gonna be pissed. And now the dilemma. Wake her or let her get a bit more sleep?

Not wanting to risk the ass-kicking he knew would follow when she realized he knowingly allowed her to 'sleep-in', he reached over and softly grasped her upper arm, shaking her slightly. "Bones…"

She smacked her lips and her eyes fluttered, but other than that… nothing.

"Bones." He shook again. "Temperance." He allowed his hand to slide to her back. "Wake up, sleepyhead."

Her eyes opened but she did not lift her head or make any other attempt to get up.

He couldn't resist moving the strand of hair off her face, that same one from last night. Persistent little bugger.

Her eyes widened. "Booth, what…? You're in my bed."

"That makes three of us," he replied, motioning with his eyes for her to look down beside her.

The baby turned his head towards Brennan and cooed at her, then erupted into giggles again.

Booth slid off the side of the bed onto his knees, leaned over and scooped up the infant and sat him up in front of him, facing forward. "Say 'Good Morning, Auntie Bones! How 'bout some coffee, huh?'" The impromptu baby-as-puppet show had begun, complete with arm gestures. "Oh and 'Maybe a little breakfast too? It's the best way to start off the day!'"

Brennan couldn't help but laugh. "What time is it?" She rolled to look at the clock. Big mistake. "Oh God, I should have already been at the Lab. Booth!"

"Hey now, you can't blame me! I'm not the one who obviously forgot to set an alarm." He stood and put the baby up on his shoulder. Then to the baby, "I think Auntie Bones woke up a little grumpy, what do you think bud?"

Brennan sprang from the bed and began to open and shut drawers, gathering clothing and items she would need for the day. "I need to be there. We have to start the ID on the victim and Cam will need the…"

"Bones!"

"What?"

"Calm down. Get your shower, get ready. We men will have breakfast and everything else ready to go by the time you get out."

She initially wanted to object. She didn't have time for breakfast and technically, the baby was her responsibility. "If you could just watch him Booth, while I…" She jerked a thumb at the doorway to her bathroom.

Booth smiled knowingly. "No problem, Bones. Got it covered." He then left the room and bounced his way up the hall with the giddily squealing bundle.

Brennan smiled and shook her head. Then becoming frantic again, scooped up the dark blue camisole and jeans she had scurried for earlier and headed to the bathroom.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

She emerged a half-hour later, her black boots clicking across the hardwood floor, black suit jacket in the crook of her arm, and in the process of donning her last dangly earring.

Booth had the baby tucked and strapped safely in his car seat, which was sitting atop the counter next to two to-go mugs of coffee and a toasted seven-grain bagel.

"Bones! You look great! And the little guy here is all changed and ready to go… and we made you breakfast!" he said, motioning towards the counter.

"Smells wonderful!" Brennan shrugged on her jacket and flipped her hair out of the collar. She straightened her sleeves then paused, making full eye-contact with her partner. "Thank you, Booth. Not just for breakfast…"

"Hey, Bones… I told you, we're partners in this, okay? I'm here to help. I wanted to help." He turned to the baby and rocked his seat gently. "Now, we just have to help this little guy. Find his parents. Find out what happened."

Brennan looked at the baby, contentedly sucking his fists, and a smile passed her lips. "We will." Then back to Booth. "We always do."

Booth smiled. "That we do, Bones. That we do." Their eyes connected and wouldn't let go…

A moment passed, then Brennan spoke, "So, are we ready to go?"

"Um… yeah." He raised the carry handle of the car seat and lifted it off the countertop. Then he dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out his keys. "Okay, Bones. This is going to come as a shock to you, but I want you to take my truck."

Brennan was most definitely shocked. She froze mid-reach for the cups of coffee and turned to face him. "What?"

"The car seat base is already in there. Those things are too much trouble to move back and forth. Besides, can you see me installing that thing in the back seat of your little sports car? I don't think so."

Brennan thought about saying that she could install it herself, but this moment had been too long in coming. No, she would take the truck. The one with the souped-up interceptor engine and the pretty, flashing lights. A full-out smile spanned her face as she grabbed the keys from his outstretched hand a little too greedily.

"You look like a kid at Christmas, Bones!" he remarked with a grin, as he shouldered the fully stocked diaper bag and his own duffle.

She couldn't stop smiling and turned back to pick up the cups and her bagel. Tucking the cups between her forearm and chest, she grabbed her purse and keys off the foyer table.

Just as they were getting ready to walk out the door, Brennan's cell phone began to shrill. "Figures…" she mumbled as she sat the cups on the table and dug in her purse for her phone.

"Brennan."

"Hey sweetie, you coming in this morning? How'd last night go?" Angela spoke in a rush.

"Hi Ange. Yeah, I'm on my way in right now. And last night was fine." Her eyes flitted up to Booth's. "We made it fine."

"We? As in you and the baby? Or as in you and the baby and one more makes three?"

Brennan could hear the suggestion in her tone and decided to ignore it. "Did you need something Angela?"

Booth stood outside the front door, holding the door open with one hand, the baby seat dangling from the other. He watched his partner's face become all-business.

"Are you sure? No one has filed a missing person's report?"

She looked up to meet the concerned eyes of her partner. "Okay. Thanks for calling. See you in a few minutes."

She ended the call and put the phone in her jacket pocket. Turning to pick up the cups again, she relayed to Booth, "Ange checked the Missing Persons Database and for the past 24-48 hours, no reports matching the baby have been filed."

Booth nodded and allowed her to pass him into the corridor. "I was afraid of that," he said as he pulled the door shut, twisting the knob to make sure it locked.

Arriving at the truck, Brennan, with giddy satisfaction, used the keyless remote to unlock the doors and Booth loaded the baby into the back seat.

He turned to her and held out his hand.

"But Booth, you said I could drive."

"I need _your_ keys Bones."

"Oh, yeah." She smiled, trying to cover the fact that she'd just been on the verge of a major pout.

She pulled her car key fob out of her purse and passed it to him. "Don't drive too fast."

"I could say the same to you." He chuckled. "I'm just gonna head home, shower and change, then drop by the office. They should have the crime scene photos ready for me. Meet you at the Lab later?"

She nodded. Then impulsively, she moved towards him and threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

Booth startled, then settled into the embrace, his arms moving to circle her waist. "What's this for?"

"Thank you, Booth. I really don't think I would have made it through last night without you." Her voice was right next to his ear, he could feel her warm breath tickle his neck. He closed his eyes and quietly inhaled the scent he awoke to less than an hour earlier.

"You're welcome, Bones."

And then she was pulling away and he had to let her go.

She turned and hopped into the front seat, flashing a bright smile to him as she shut the door and started the ignition. The engine roared to life and she turned to wave as she pulled away.

Booth waved, scrubbed his hand down his still scruffy face, and shook his head as he moved towards her car.

**-- -- -- -- -- -- --**

As Dr. Temperance Brennan entered the front doors of the Jeffersonian Medico-Legal Lab, all eyes were unmistakably on her. She was a beautiful woman, and even though (or maybe because) she didn't flaunt it, she was on the receiving end of many glances throughout the day.

But today, it wasn't because her hair was styled differently, or that her make-up remarkably accentuated her expressive eyes, or even that her blouse was low-cut.

No, today, all eyes were on 'Dr. Brennan' because of what she carried.

An infant seat and a diaper bag.

She said a hurried hello to the guards at the door, same as every morning, and rushed through the gleaming Lab to her office. Depositing her purse and the diaper bag in her office chair, she moved some files around on her desk to make room for the baby seat.

The infant had been alert and attentive during the first part of the drive over, she could hear him cooing and gurgling in the seat behind her. But the last ten minutes of the trip had been remarkably quiet, and when she retrieved him from the back seat he had been sound asleep. Also remarkably, he had remained asleep as she carried him in the building.

She moved her purse to her desk drawer and the diaper bag to a chair in front of her desk, then booted her computer to quickly check her e-mail.

Before she could even click open the program, a light knock at her door-frame broke the silence.

"Hey Bren, you're here. Finally." A raised eyebrow. "You know, I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to sleep in. Probably had a little less room in your bed last night, huh?!"

Brennan rolled her eyes and turned back to her computer. "I told you we made it fine, Ange."

Angela moved further into the room and crossed her arms over her chest. "You're gonna make me ask, aren't you?" Pause. "You are. Okay. Did Booth stay the night?"

Brennan really didn't want to answer that question. But maybe if she treated this conversation with her best friend like a Band-Aid. Get it over with fast. Still going to hurt like hell. But at least it's over.

"It wasn't like that, Ange. But yes, he stayed and helped me with the baby." _More like I helped him, but that's just semantics._

"Oh, the visual I get of that man and a baby. He is one hot baby daddy." Angela smiled and stared into the middle distance, obviously daydreaming of something Brennan knew she didn't want to know. _I've got enough daydream fodder of my own to worry about. Baby daddy?_

Ange continued. "Okay, so he stayed the night. Did he share your bed? With the precious little guy in the middle?" She approached Brennan's desk and cooed over the sleeping baby. "He is just gorgeous. You know, when you called me last night and told me you had a baby as evidence, I really thought you were joking."

Brennan just gave her a serious look.

"But then, I knew it was you and I had to accept that it was the truth."

"Ange, I really have to get to work." Brennan rose and shrugged off her suit jacket. She picked up her lab coat from the back of the chair and donning it, began to verbally list her mental to-do list. "I need to speak to Zack about the examination of the victim. And I think we need to verify that the baby did indeed swallow the key. We've seen no evidence of it as of yet."

"Well, while you take care of those things, why don't you let me watch over him."

Brennan looked back down at the sleeping baby for several moments, then back to her friend. "Okay. I have to find an intern, because I just realized I need an errand run."

"I don't mean to pry, but does it have anything to do with the baby?"

"Yes?"

"Well, I only ask because I know that Cynthia has a baby boy herself, almost a year old… and would probably be the best person for any baby-oriented task."

"Cynthia, right. And… which one is she?"

"Blonde, about my height, glasses."

"Oh, yes, the girl with Clinodactyly."

"What?"

"Her fifth finger presents a slight curvature towards her fourth, known as Clinodactyly. It is a fairly common genetic anomaly. I noticed it when she was helping to present bones from modular skeletal storage."

"I just know that Cynthia would be more than happy to help you out with whatever you need for the baby. And she has plenty of experience in that department."

"Thanks Ange. Are you sure you're okay with staying with him? I won't be long."

"I'll be fine, sweetie. He's sleeping. I'll just go grab my sketch pad. I would love to sketch his beautiful little face."

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

Brennan found Cynthia in the bone storage room, attending to the daily cataloguing.

The sound of her boots clicking on the floor announced her arrival before she could, and Cynthia spoke first. "Good morning, Dr. Brennan." She seemed excited, yet perplexed at a personal visit from the Head Forensic Anthropologist.

"Good morning, Cynthia."

"Is there something I can help you with, ma'am?"

Brennan chuckled. "First of all, you can call me Temperance, or Dr. Brennan, if you are more comfortable with that. But yes, actually, I need a favor."

"Sure, Dr. Brennan. I'll do my best." She grabbed her notepad and stood poised, ready to take notes if needed.

"Well, Angela informed me that you have a son."

The notepad lowered a bit and Cynthia offered a tentative, "Yes. Brian. Is there something wrong?" Worry flooded her face.

"No, no. I'm sorry to alarm you," Brennan quickly replied, laying a calming hand on Cynthia's arm. "It's a personal… well, not really personal. He's actually evidence in our latest murder case." Brennan rambled.

"Yes?" A raised eyebrow from Cynthia.

"I have a baby," Brennan blurted.

"Oh?"

"Well, not just me. Booth and I, we both take responsibility…"

"Really?!" The gleam in Cynthia's eyes vaguely reminded Brennan of Angela.

Brennan took a deep breath.

"Let me try again. In our latest case, we have come into possession of an infant. He swallowed a key which is, we believe, going to prove crucial to our investigation. Therefore, we are responsible for him, according to the chain of evidence, until we are able to obtain the key through his fecal production."

Cynthia wrinkled her nose a bit, but smiled. "And that may take a day or two. So what do you need from me, exactly? Help caring for him?"

"No, Booth and I are doing fine with that aspect," Brennan replied, totally missing Cynthia's smile. "But I realized today that we don't have any extra clothes for him. We stopped and got the basic necessities last night, but obviously forgot the extra clothing."

"Oh sure, Dr. Brennan. I can take care of that." She almost clapped her hands together, the excitement of a shopping spree looming. "What size does the munchkin wear?"

"Oh. Um, well he's approximately 63 centimeters in height," Brennan replied, holding her hands the approximate distance apart to represent the length of the baby.

Cynthia chuckled. "Well, is there any way I can actually see him, maybe check the tag of his current outfit to verify his size?"

"Sure, he's in my office right now with Angela."

They proceeded to Brennan's office where Angela was sitting in her desk chair, watching (and sketching) the still-sleeping infant.

"Hi Cynthia!" the artist whispered.

Cynthia greeted Angela and moved to better see the baby. "He is adorable. I just hope I don't wake him." The baby's head was tilted to one side, allowing the collar of his outfit to pull away a bit. So it didn't take much for Cynthia to flip it back a bit further and see that the baby wore a 3-6 months size.

"And you know, the size of clothing a baby wears is actually pretty close to their age. In case you need that for your investigation," Cynthia relayed to the two women.

Brennan nodded, "Thank you Cynthia, that may indeed prove useful." She moved around Angela to get her purse from her desk drawer. "So, if you wouldn't mind doing this for me. Here's some money. And anything else you can think of that we might need for him, please feel free to pick up."

That excited gleam reappeared in Cynthia's eyes as she took the money from Brennan's outstretched hand.

"Cynthia!" Angela delighted. "That's a beautiful ring you are wearing."

"Oh, thanks Angela!" she replied, holding her hand out so the artist could look more closely. "My husband gave it to me for our last anniversary."

Angela took Cynthia's fingertips in her palm and looked at the 'ring'. "Just gorgeous!" she said releasing her hand.

Cynthia smiled and turned to leave.

"Oh and Cynthia?"

"Yes, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan moved closer to her and said softly, "If you could pick him up a few toys as well. And he seems to like elephants. But the one he has is purple… and that's just… wrong."

Cynthia smiled knowingly. "I'll take care of it, Dr. Brennan." And she was off on her task.

Brennan turned back to her friend with a smirk. "I know what you were doing."

"What? I was curious, okay? Never heard of the dactilly thing."

"Clinodactyly."

"Whatever."

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

When Cynthia returned, Angela was sitting on the floor in front of Brennan's couch with the baby propped on her outstretched knees.

_Ride a little pony into town,  
__Watch out! Watch out!  
__Don't fall down!_

Each time Angela reached the end of the rhyme, she dropped her knees gently so the baby would 'fall down' and each time he erupted into a fit of giggles.

"Oh, look who's awake now." Cynthia smiled as she entered the room carrying several bags from a baby superstore.

"We are having a blast! Aren't we cutie?!" Angela laughed, standing with the baby and moving over to Brennan's desk where Cynthia was unloading the bags.

"We have all new clothes, toys, a baby monitor… all the goodies this little guy should need for a few days." Cynthia showed the items to Angela. "And I just love teddy bears so I couldn't pass up this ensemble!" She laid out a cream and brown footed-sleeper with a coordinating jacket, hat and blanket.

"That is adorable! I just changed his diaper when he woke up, so let's go ahead and change him into this," Angela excitedly suggested. Then to the baby, "You are going to be the most handsome guy in this Lab. But don't tell Hodgins I said that!"

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

The morning proceeded according to plan, with the team verifying that the baby did indeed swallow the key, the preliminary exam of the victim revealing occupational markers that should aid in an identification, as well as an in-process isotope analysis that hopefully would reveal where the victim hailed from. When Angela brought in a soiled diaper revealing a 'pink present', Brennan left to sit with her 'charge' while Cam investigated further.

After caring for the baby all night, examining what could potentially turn out to be the boy's mother for most of the morning, and now hearing that the infant himself could have a medical issue, Brennan just needed to see him.

She couldn't explain it, couldn't rationalize it. But she rushed to her office, peeling off the latex gloves of one job and mentally shifting into the role of caregiver once again.

Upon seeing the beautiful child, fast asleep in his car seat, breathing normally, eyelids fluttering with what she hoped were peaceful dreams, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. She didn't know what she expected to see. Some physical sign of abnormality? What did she really know about this child? This beautiful child who had already seemingly imprinted her with an indelible mark.

Brennan sat in her chair, clenching the now inside-out latex in her fist, breathing slowly, watching the baby's chest rhythmically rise and fall. She noted with amazement how the infant sucked on his pacifier in his sleep, how his breathing seemed deep and regular, though much quicker than her own. She knew the scientific reasoning behind these actions, but just taking the time to watch and experience them first-hand… she felt a shift.

This was resolve. This was the point where she dedicated herself to finding what happened to this little boy and how to best go about setting it right. And if that was impossible, then doing the best she could to find someone who would love him and give him the kind of life he deserved.

She swiped a tear that had formed out of the corner of her eye, then turned in her chair to find her partner leaning against her door.

"Is this all you've done today, watch the baby sleep?" he teased her lightly.

"No, actually we've made some headway in the case."

He nodded. "How's Little Big Man holding up? He make us a key yet?"

"Not yet. He did give us a little cause for concern with his last diaper, however."

"Oh yeah?"

"His stool was tinged pink."

"Pink? That can't be good?" Booth moved to stand beside the baby, unable to stop himself from reaching out to gently rock the seat.

"Cam is testing it to try to determine a potential cause."

Booth met her eyes, seeing now the concern and determination emblazoned there. "He'll be okay, Bones. And we're on our way to finding out what happened to him. Whatever it is, we're going to make it right."

He had spent his morning sifting through crime scene photos and officer's reports, learning this case and imprinting every known detail in his mind. It's what he did, his job. But in his gut he knew that the victim was this baby's mother and he was dedicated to serving her and her innocent child some justice.

She returned his gaze steadily and it passed then, unspoken between them. This is why they made an incredible team. They came about it their own way, but every damn time they met in the middle and shared that common goal.

"Ready to do this Bones?"

She nodded, lowering her head, and then moved to toss the gloves in the trashcan under her desk. Standing, she removed her lab coat, laying it over her chair and replacing it with her suit jacket.

She grabbed the baby monitor from her desk and they left her office - ready to face the next challenge, the next obstacle, the next diaper… together.

_FIN._

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_Thank you so much for reading this story! I truly hope you found it enjoyable and if so, hope you will take a second to let me know._

_And I love this episode so much I've started a post-ep one-shot that will be a sort of epilogue to this story. Stay tuned!!_


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